Display ads arrive on YouTube mobile sites

Traffic on YouTube's mobile site increased 160% last year and Google is now set on making it easier for advertisers to extend their online YouTube campaigns to mobile.

Currently only display advertising has been ported over and only on the home, search and browsing pages of the American and Japanese YouTube mobile sites.

"The mobile space moves fast, so we've been working hard to roll out new features and functionality quickly, especially as more and more people adopt YouTube-capable phones," wrote YouTube's strategic partner development manager, Taylor Cascino, in a recent blog post.

"The increased usage of high-end devices like the iPhone and Android is also making mobile advertising easier and more effective for advertisers."

While brands such as Land Rover, L'Oreal and Sony tested mobile ads way back in 2008, Mazda will kick-start the YouTube mobile ad roll-out this week.

"Ads on the YouTube mobile website will be banner ads sold on a full-day basis (like with the YouTube homepage on the web), making a mobile buy an easy and valuable addition to any YouTube campaign," concluded Cascino.

Tags: advertising, display advertising, Internet, mobile marketing, mobile web, YouTube